This year I finally became a declared soup addict. Since the beginning of Fall, I’ve been playing with seasonal flavors, making a large pot of some kind of savory herb with root veggie or dark leafy green + lentil soup.

Winter is the season when we go inward and nature is ready to nurture us. Due to the digestive level being very high, we feel hungrier, and can actually digest food better in winter, thus nourishing our bodies more. Winter is often misunderstood for being the season of poor immunity and bad habits when we start eating more junk food and heavy, hard-to-digest foods, and thus weaken our immunity. It’s helpful to understand that we have a huge role in creating the bad immunity; winter alone, is not the culprit. For this reason, it's vital to eat immunity-boosting foods this time of year, and to follow an ayurvedic daily routine of self massage with Vata Oil. More details on daily self care routines coming up in next month. But for now, know this- This your must have winter routine should include getting more rest and eating well — to nourish the mind and body.

And so, my refrigerator is overflowing with all sorts of homemade soup this season but this doesn’t mean that I’m at the stove 24/7. In fact, making the soups in batches assures that I will be warm and nourished throughout the darkest and coldest months of the year without having the urge to go for the quick fix foods (crackers + bread) that often leave me feeling hungry, cold and cranky. Plus, having some soup ready to go in the depths of a snowy winter, I can have a super tasty bowl of soup for lunch and not have to think about braving the cold elements.

Foods that nourish and balance the body in the cold, dry, winter season are the sweet, sour and salty tastes like this soup. It's best to eat less of the astringent, bitter, and pungent tastes in winter like salads, sprouts, citrus. Warm, home-cooked, warming foods are ideal, like this soup. Essentially, when it’s cold outside, avoid cold or ice-cold foods, as cold foods and drinks extinguish the digestive fire.

Lifestyle also impacts immunity. Staying up late, working at night, eating at irregular times, exposing the body to stress and fatigue, and sleeping during the day can all affect the digestion and body rhythms — and thus compromise the immune system. That's why it's important to follow the ayurvedic daily routine with Vata Oil, to keep the digestive system and other bodily rhythms working smoothly, and thus keeping the immunity high.

Winter is a more inward season, when nature is at rest and everything has gone to sleep, LISTEN to the rhythm and take advantage of this natural tendency by giving the mind and body extra nourishment in winter.

THE SECRET TO SPICY WINTER PUMPKIN SOUP

I immediately fell in love with this Spicy Winter Pumpkin Soup which I’ve eaten about 20 variations of throughout this winter because it’s the yummiest pumpkin soup I’ve ever tasted! After tasting, making notes, and tasting some more with different pumpkins and squashes that I picked up from my local farm delivery service Agricultural Connections, I hit the taste, texture and spice trifecta by adding just the right amount of curry and onions to provide a complexity of flavors that will please crowds of all ages. Even my seven year old who is not particularly fond of squash (after feeding him too much when he was a baby) loved the slight edge the curry provided.

Ingredients

1 Kabocha Squash, seeded and cubed 1 in chunks

1⁄2 small yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoon coconut oil

1 (2 inch piece) fresh ginger minced

Himalayan Pink Salt

2 tbsp thai red curry paste

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 can lite coconut milk (for texture)

3 cups boiling filtered water

To Prepare

Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven and saute the onion with a pinch of sea salt until it starts to sweat.

Add the kabocha squash, both cans of coconut milk, the red Thai curry paste, 1⁄8 tsp sea salt, and just enough water to cover the vegetables.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for about 20-20 minutes or until squash is tender enough to pierce with a fork.

Transfer the soup to a high powered blender ( you might need to do this in batches(> Start blending at a low speed, gradually increasing to high, and blend until smooth and creamy.

Real Stories from Wise Women

Monthly Q & A

In a modern culture where life moves quickly and society gives you quick fix instructions on how to take care of your mind, body & spirit there becomes nothing more important than honest conversations and authentic connections with a loving community of like minded sisters. This monthly Q&A shares the stories from some of my favorite wise women who have peeled back the mask of quick fix self care to discover the truth of their own body’s wisdom. This month, I welcome Jennifer Houston to the blog. Jennifer and I have crossed paths over the last few years through creative collectives and women’s circles. We both share a love of empowered wellness and are most recently connected thru our (Australian Shepherd) pups who share the same lineage.

Like many women, I’ve been on a challenging health journey for decades - one that has paralleled an emotional and spiritual journey to wholeness. There have been so many times when I have simply cursed this earthly body of mine for fighting against me for so long. But I’m lucky. On this path I have also met many wise and caring healers and helpers who seem to arrive just at the right moment. Manya Williams is one of them.

My awareness that things weren’t in balance began when I was 13 and discovered (after three separate tests for mononucleosis) that I was gluten intolerant. Fortunately, my allergist had spotted the signs of fatigue, sore throat, and skin issues early and a 10 day elimination diet confirmed it. I became the strange girl at lunch with the lettuce wrapped sandwiches (so ahead of the health curve on that one!) who couldn’t enjoy cake at birthday parties and pies at holiday dinners. I felt better, but still struggled with an upset stomach and environmental allergies from adolescence well into my early 40s.

Truthfully, looking back I know my immune system was compromised from the get-go. Formula fed from birth, I had chronic ear, nose, and throat problems that finally led to a tonsillectomy at 10 and endless rounds of antibiotics from toddlerhood until adulthood. In my 30s I found naturopathic medicine, which helped me work through a nasty Candida infection and for several lovely years I thought I had finally managed to gain some equilibrium.

The arrival of my two children and the stress of juggling working motherhood once again threw me into imbalance, and I found myself back in the health struggle I knew so well. It was compounded only a few years later by the heartbreaking process of divorce. It was then that I began my secret inner mantra: MUST...NOT...STOP...EVER. I was launched into a survivalistic, fight or flight existence that had me gritting my teeth and plowing through life with a hot poker at my back. I didn’t stop until my body finally forced me to. I was exhausted beyond belief, my hormones were a mess, and my battle armor was showing signs of weakness.

Back I went to the naturopaths, acupuncturists, and holistic practitioners for more testing, supplements, and diet adjustments. A perfectionist, I was furious with myself for not being able to figure it out OR stick to the intensely restrictive regimens they recommended. Worse, my inner critic was having a field day pointing out all the places where I had failed.

When I met Manya, I was a full blown skeptic about ever getting to “normal.” “This is just the way it is,” I told myself. “So stop whining and just deal with it.”

Our coaching sessions exposed not only my inner critic, but also uncovered the sense of powerlessness and confusion that had separated me from my own innate body wisdom. In our first session, Manya sat quietly across from me, listening closely as I talked about my struggle, my frustrations, and my ultimate surrender to just feeling crappy most of the time. As I talked, a warm Cheshire cat of a smile spread slowly across her face. “This isn’t going to be as hard as you think,” she said. Really? I was stunned. And curious.

Over the weeks we worked together, I had several powerful revelations:

How you’re metabolizing the present moment determines whether the food you’re eating nourishes your body. The Ayurvedic questionnaire Manya gave me revealed a Vata imbalance that had me feeling anxious, restless, and unable to focus all of the time. I was reaching for foods that only made it worse - chips, crackers, coffee, sugar. The truth was that I was addicted to that imbalance as a source of false energy. Manya suggested subtle changes that had remarkable results. I added ghee and coconut oil into my diet, switched to eating only warm foods and vegetables, and sipped water at room temperature. In only a few days, I felt a difference. Food seemed kinder somehow, more nourishing and gentle. My stomach problems settled and I felt calmer.

Your lymphatic system is your best ally.I had noticed a puffiness for several years that just wouldn’t go away no matter how much I exercised or dieted. The health of the lymph system is central in Ayurveda, carrying toxins from the body. Manya saw this immediately and had me using a dry brush before showering to stimulate the lymph system combined with some simple herbs and oil massage. The puffiness began to go away within a week. I felt lighter and had more energy. Yay for that.

Your devotional practice gives you clarity, self-compassion, and resilience. Most of all, in the midst of the busy-ness and pressures of life, I often sacrificed self-care. What at first seemed impossible (Me? Get up before dawn?) has become the biggest gift of all...20 minutes each morning before the sun (or anyone in the house) wakes up, I give myself time to sit on a cushion and chant, move, and practice simple breathing exercises to get calm, clear out, and ignite my energy for the day. Somehow life doesn’t sideline all my intentions as much when I’ve given those sweet moments to myself. Manya calls it self-devotion, and that is so poignantly true.

I’m still working with these subtle changes and micro practices to help me build a new foundation for wellness based on self-kindness, intuition and awareness. Most of all, I feel myself reawakening and finally integrating as a spiritual being who is happy to be having an earthly, physical experience. And that feels really, really good.

Tired of making a special meal for yourself that’s different from the rest of the family?

Are you frustrated with wasting food that you buy and then don't know what to do with?

PREPARED MEAL DELIVERY

My new personalized meal delivery service, Meals that Healwas born out of these same exact struggles!

This personalized nutrition delivered right to your home or office can include breakfast, lunch and dinner. It not only saves you time and money but allows you to feel nourished for the entire day or week while you easily enjoy customized meals to fit your special dietary needs. We deliver your personalized meals in food-safe containers so you can place them in your fridge and then pop them in your oven when you’re ready to eat and enjoy!

Who uses Meals that Heal delivery service?

Busy professionals

Families with active lives

People who don't like to cook

Seniors and their children worried about them

New moms

Those undergoing surgery/medical recovery

Those facing special dietary needs in their household due to disease, allergies, food sensitivities and other dietary/medical restrictions

Anyone who wants to eat healthier and save time

Those who want to give a friend or loved on a special gift (gift certificates are available)

Meals that Heal specializes in preparing meals for clients with special dietary needs and creates delicious and nourishing meals made centered around seasonal ingredients that are local, organic and without any preservatives or additives.

Chef + Nutritionist Manya will work with you one-on-one to explore your needs, preferences, body constitution and specific dietary requirements. She'll then create a diverse weekly menu plan with nourishing variations of your favorite meals that are in tune with each season. Your customized menu will help with your specific symptoms or allergies and introduce you to foods that will lead you towards your most radiant state of well being.

Manya Williams has a extensive experience and working knowledge of food allergies, food substitutions and special nutritional restrictions which allow her to get think outside of the food box and create nourishing, healthy and delicious meals that clients rave about.

YOU WILL TASTE AND FEEL THE DIFFERENCE

There is no doubt that source matters and healing foods begin with high quality ingredients. In collaboration with Agricultural Connections, I am able to hand select each ingredient from local farms so that all the healing meals that make their way to your plate originate within 50 miles of your table. I take great pride in the fact that all of this nourishing food comes from organic + local farms in your area.

I get it. It can feel like there’s a battle in your belly and that’s never fun!

When most people get sick they take hydrochloric acid or digestive enzyme supplements and hope for the best. But is that the proper solution to build your digestive fire and get rid of gas and bloating?

Unfortunately, not always.

What if I told you I had a secret to eliminate gas and bloating and that it was more therapeutic, more nourishing and more effective than supplements, pills or medicine?

Here are 6 quick and easy ways to turn up your digestive fire, turn down the gas and help your stomach feel better.

Drink 8–12 ounces of room temperature water 15–30 minutes before each meal.

Spice your water up by adding a pinch of salt and/black pepper. They naturally boost digestion. The best part, you can find salt and pepper on the table at every restaurant!

Eating out? Treat yourself by ordering hot water with lemon or add a squeeze of lemon to your water as soon as you sit down. The lemon water will pre-hydrate your stomach lining that buffers stomach acid, and the lemon juice will help increase HCl production naturally.

Order a salad with the extra virgin olive oil and vinegar (apple cider vinegar or balsamic). The oil increases bile flow from the liver and gallbladder, and the acidic vinegar will increases HCl acid production.

Avoid snacking and give your digestive system to rest in between meals. Eat enough breakfast to get you through until lunch, make lunch your biggest meal and have a light dinner.

Avoid cold, iced drinks. Cold drinks force your body and gut to work harder which is no bueno.

FALL RENEWAL

A 14 Day Holistic Cleanse to Fall Back to Balance

Now is a great time to reset your body and mind as the change of seasons and weather approach. An Ayurvedically inspired whole foods cleanse is an easy way to buffer your health and protect your well-being for the future.

What you can expect:

Restore an overall sense of calm to your nervous system, feel more at ease and relieve anxious thoughts.

Feel more energy and vitality.

Sleep better.

Regular elimination.

Prepare your body for deep nourishment and rejuvenation.

Return to your natural state of balance.

Food-based cleanses are the safest way to restore your body back to balance. They are usually slower to detox you than a water or juice-based cleanse or fast. But don’t worry, a food based cleanse is still a cleanse! Especially when you add new, beneficial techniques like self-massage, intentional breathing and gentle, effective herbs.

Imagine cleansing in a way that is gently and simple in nature. Ayurveda is a holistic and ancient healing system, so this cleanse goes much deeper than the immediate loss of a couple pounds. These healing techniques have been perfected over thousands of years— and are proven. You'll notice a difference in how you look and feel and you'll experience deep changes in your emotional and spiritual being.

You don't have to do it alone. Your mind needs to manage the changes when you fast. When you change the sensory stimulation you get from emotional eating, you’ll discover patterns in how you cope with daily life. You may come to realize a lot about your true state of hunger, about what you really need to feel satisfied and about how food can feed your emotional discomforts. That’s why it’s vital to have support on your new journey.

Is a food cleanse right for you?

Do food cravings and mood swings overwhelm you?

Do you want to make peace with your relationship with food?

Do you want to change old habits, emotions and behaviors?

Have you considered changing your diet because you can't digest certain foods such as dairy and gluten?

Do you get seasonal allergies, flus or colds?

Do you experience bloating, gas, mental fog and exhaustion?

Do you want to feel healthier and more connected and do it with ease and without extreme fasting or discomfort?

What is it?

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Food is medicine” and it’s true. You can feel it’s effects after just one meal. Ever have a night of salty potato chips and soda? How did you feel the next day?

Let’s dive in together to unlock the power of healing food for long lasting results that bring balance and vitality back to your kitchen and your life.

Why Cleanse?

Not all cleanses are created equal and not all are one size fit all. You don’t need another quick fix cleanse, but a nourishing renewal that will balance your digestion, while detoxing your body, as you move into another season with ease and grace. During our Fall Renewal Workshop you’ll learn the ancient wisdom of what your body needs to live a modern life.

What does that mean?

In a world bombarded with access to so much conflicting information, articles, and opinions on food and nutrition, it’s fair to say that we are in overload both mentally and physically. Don’t you agree?

Certain foods are better for helping you switch to a new season. you will learn how to create a diet in alignment with the seasons which will improve your digestion, increase your energy and live your best life.

Learn the essentials of Ayurveda as a holistic health model and how to detox in a seasonal way, aligning with the natural rhythms of your environment.

Ayurvedic treats and herbal teals will be served during the workshops.

OPTIONAL Meals that Heal by The Nourished Kitchen | Personalized Nutrition Home Delivery Service

When is it?

I don't know about you, but for me the season's blessing of long hours of sunlight somehow seems to expand all the possibilities for creating bountiful meals — even after a long day at the office.

Throughout most of the year, getting dinner on the table is a race against the clock. As the working day grows longer, and we answer yet another after-hours email, our plans for braising or roasting our meals get downgraded to quickly stir-frying some vegetables. When we finally walk through the door, exhausted, at 8 p.m., we wonder if we have the energy to make a piece of toast with avocado.

But summer's bright evening hours are invigorating: When the workday is done, there are still plenty of hours left to do whatever you want before bedtime. For me, that often involves creating more ambitious meals than I would be inclined to on a dark, cold winter night.

Summertime's freewheeling bounty spurs my creativity in the kitchen with little effort. Instead of planning a menu I tend to improvise in the kitchen inspired by my local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and I rely on what the farmer has brought for me to create my meals, aaaaahhhhh. I create less picture-perfect but more soul nourishing food. It tends to be more whimsical, colorful, and, at times, even tastier.

Sometimes, a messy, juicy heirloom salad with butter lettuce and cuke salad is every bit as satisfying as a labored-over three-course menu — and a lot more fun to make.

No cooking required on this nourishing and cooling summer salad using the ingredients from my local CSA box. The dressing requires no blend and turns out super creamy.

I love how seasons form the natural backdrop to our eating. Every time I go the farmer's market during the peak of Summer it feels as though the produce rushes towards me, shouting pick me, pick me! Peaches are plump and juicy, the tomatoes are bursting at the seams and I can't turn a corner without blackberries threatening to take over a table. Juice is literally flowing out of every fruit and vegetable I see and every plant is demanding all my attention.

How dull your skin looks and feels is directly related to how clean or toxic your daily intake is. Minimizing the toxic load on the skin (your largest organ) on a consistent basis will help your skin go from dry, flaky and grey to radiant, hydrated, and softer in a matter of days.

Quick fix: While drinking coffee can help you battle fatigue in the short term, the constant highs and lows really do a number on your hormonal system and dehydrate the skin. When you begin relying less on caffeine and more on nourishing foods that are alkaline in nature your desire for coffee will begin to shift with ease and the endless cycle of dependance on a jolt of energy will no longer exist. As a great source of energy in the morning, The Cravings Buster Smoothie will get your day started with a boost without a crash later taxing your body and stressing your organs.

Vibrant and super green vegetables like green beans also provide healthy benefits to our skin, keeping it smooth and radiant infusing it with antioxidants proven to prevent premature skin aging and minimize wrinkles.

Summer Green Beans w/Parsley Recipe

4 servings

1 pound green beans, stem ends removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium cloves of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons lemon zest

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add green beans and cook until tender but still crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In the same pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Return the beans to the pot. Add the lemon zest, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Toss to coat and serve.

Optional: Sprinkle with 1/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped, and sprinkle with raw cheese of choice.

Sunday night and you promise yourself you're going to hit the gym HARD this week to make up for the weekend's festivities. As you hit snooze on the alarm clock 5 times on Monday morning you promise yourself tomorrow you'll get up extra early.

Getting to the gym is 90% of the battle. Too exhausted to get there. Can't seems to lose the pounds or put on more muscles? Too sore to come back the next day when you finally do get there? Chances are that your problem isn't your actual fitness routine- but rather what you're not drinking before and after your workout. If you're not fueling before workoutand RE-fueling post workout, then you're not really giving your body the benefit of your exercise program.

Below are two juices specifically designed to make your workout count.

Pre-Workout

Drinking a nutrient packed glass of green juice infused your blood with minerals and enzymes that boost your energy and motivate you to stay focused and strong during a good workout.

The enzymes help to dilate blood vessels and improve your blood flow, carrying nutrients and oxygen to every part of the body for an effortless and extended physical workout.

Prepare your juice the night before and drink 1/2 hour before you leave the house. In this way you will increase blood count for more efficient performance, improve respiratory function for longer endurance and reduce inflammation occurring from intensive strength training.

Performance Fuel

Juice the following

Yields 1-2 servings

1 Large cucumber

2 stalks of celery

1/4 bulb fennel

1 green apple

1 knob ginger

1 handful of parsley

Add 1 tsp flaxseed oil

POST WORKOUT

Your post workout juice should not appeal as much to your taste buds as it should meet the refueling needs of the workout you just finished.

When you don't refuel properly after a workout you're more likely to snack later in the day because you're still really hungry.

I am so thrilled to announce that I will be leading the #TuesdaysTogether meetups in Bend, Oregon! If you haven’t heard of #TuesdaysTogether, here's the low down.

Natalie Franke + Krista Jones have worked together to build and inspire a movement of people who believe in Community over Competition. A couple of months ago, Natalie shared a blog post about how constant comparison to others can destroy creativity and business. She highlighted the importance of lifting each other up, that there is enough for everyone to go around and alas The Rising Tide Society was born giving entrepreneurs the opportunity to grow together with the support of their own community.

It is my passion to create a supportive and thriving community with you!

#TuesdaysTogether the platform allow us to do just that! If you’d like to join us, mark your calendars for the second Tuesday of each month to share coffee, tea or juice (whatever is your fancy) and get to know each other.

Please help our local group grow by spreading the word and inviting others. Whether you’re a photographer, writer, painter, graphic designer, wellness guru, shop owner, yogi or fitness trainer, WE WANT YOU! All small business owners and creatives are WELCOME! Please join us for our FIRST #TuesdaysTogether meetup on September 8th from 6:30-8PM at Jackson's Corner (Eastside) in Bend!